Day 2 of the Baseball Winter Meetings sees Rajai Davis a Tiger and perhaps a quick clarification on the situation of Japanese star Masahiro Tanaka.

ORLANDO-For years, the Blue Jays have
been used by player agents, mentioned as a team interested in their
client, with Toronto's offer being used to drive up the price for
other clubs. No more.

The new strategy for GM Alex
Anthopoulos is apparently to let the free-agent market for starting
pitchers play itself out, while having player representatives promise
to give him a call before they make a final decision. At that point
he makes his best offer.

The key domino starting pitcher may be
Masahiro Tanaka, the Japanese megastar whose fate is being delayed by
the new posting system being negotiated between MLB and Japan.

The president of Tanaka's current
team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles, Yozo Tachibana, will arrive at the
Winter Meetings in Orlando on Tuesday, reported Jeff Passan of Yahoo
Sports. There has been speculation that because the posting fee has
been reduced to a set number instead of a closed-envelope bidding
war, that Tachibana will not post his star player and he would remain
in Japan for 2014.

Still, there are many clubs waiting to
post the maximum amount said to be $20 million, to include themselves
in the Tanaka negotiations. The teams that are unsuccessful, the
belief is, would then turn their attention towards free-agent
pitchers like Ubaldo Jimenez and Ervin Santana, who each received a
qualifying offer and to Matt Garza, who, if healthy, is the best of
the rest. Intriguing is that Garza had very good seasons with the
Rays throwing to Jays' starting catcher, Dioner Navarro.

Meanwhile, Anthopoulos continues to
explore trade discussions that began at the GM Meetings in
mid-November regarding top of the rotation starting pitchers that are
controllable for at least two more years. As such, with the
likelihood of a domino effect once the Tanaka situation is resolved,
Anthopulos is not in control of the timeline for filling his biggest
need in the rotation. Maybe January.

The Jays are still quietly interested
in Cubs' starter Jeff Samardzija, but are not willing to surrender
either of their young stud pitchers, Aaron Sanchez or Marcus Stroman,
both of whom impressed scouts in the Arizona Fall League. The Cubs
need some serious help in the bullpen and the Jays are loaded in that
area. There are also some major-league position players the Jays
would be willing to move in any expanded deal with the Cubs.
Anthopoulos prefers to add parts, even a third team with a better fit
in certain areas, as discussions move along.

With the Hall-of-Fame Expansion Era
announcement that the three managers, Bobby Cox, Tony LaRussa and Joe
Torre will be headed to Cooperstown and the teary retirement of Roy
Halladay as a Blue Jays out of the way on Monday, the Winter Meetings
can return to the business of trades.

The first news of the day on Tuesday
was the two-year contract reportedly agreed to by former Jays'
speedster Rajai Davis, as a fourth outfielder and stolen-base threat
with the Tigers. The deal is reported to be close to $10 million
which puts him in the same strata as Nate McLouth, who started for
the O's last season and recently inked a two-year deal with the
Nationals.

The most intriguing piece out there is
Rays lefthander David Price, who is expected to be dealt this winter,
because – that's just the way the Rays operate with their limited
resources and small budget. The Jays are non-players for Price,
largely because he is only under control for two years and then would
be looking for a six-years or longer contract and was we know the
Jays don't go beyond five. The team that lines up best in terms of
young prospects is the Mariners, with Taijuan Walker. The Rangers are
also being mentioned, because of potential trade chips like infielder
Jurickson Profar.

There are serious discussions out
there for players like Mark Trumbo, who really does not have a
position with the Angels. The Diamondbacks are said to be the
frontrunners in that transaction. Other talented starting pitchers
that all of a sudden seem to have become available include Justin
Masterson of the Indians and Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee of the
Phillies. The Jays have at least explored those.

Seattle has even more payroll money to
spend after the stunning theft of second baseman Robinson Cano from
the Yankees. They are looking for a righthanded hitting putfielder
and the Dodgers are trying to move the oft-injured Matt Kemp.

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